Air India Flight Crashes in Ahmedabad, Killing Over 200 Including Former Gujarat CM

An Air India flight bound for London carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing at least 204 people, authorities confirmed. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating as flight AI171, went down just five minutes after departure, crashing into a densely populated residential area of the city.

India’s Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said many were killed in the crash, while Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik confirmed 204 bodies had been recovered. One survivor, a British national, was rescued and is being treated in a local hospital. Authorities stated that Vijay Rupani, former Chief Minister of Gujarat, was among the deceased.

Footage shared by the Press Trust of India captured the plane descending over a residential neighborhood before a loud blast and a fireball were seen. Videos posted by residents showed charred bodies and body parts scattered at the site.

The aircraft was en route to Gatwick Airport in London and carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese passengers, Air India confirmed. A government official reported that the aircraft had crashed into the cafeteria of a student hostel at BJ Medical College, injuring medical students. The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) reported that 50 students had been admitted to the hospital, with four missing and two in critical condition.

A doctor at the trauma center treating the casualties reported that 90 people had been brought in so far. Reuters reported that at least 30 bodies had been recovered from a collapsed building at the crash site.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the event as a “tragedy” that had “stunned and saddened us,” expressing his condolences in a statement on X. Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Group which operates Air India, confirmed the incident and said the company is assisting emergency teams and supporting affected families.

The crash marks the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a model introduced in 2009 with over 1,000 in service globally. The aircraft issued a “Mayday” emergency call before crashing. Boeing acknowledged the reports and said it is gathering more information.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board announced that it will lead a team of investigators to assist in the investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration had previously been investigating safety concerns about the 787’s construction, following a whistleblower’s claim that sections were improperly fastened.

This is the deadliest plane crash in India since 2020, when a Boeing 737 skidded off a runway, killing 21 people. The incident adds to Boeing’s recent safety challenges, following two previous deadly crashes involving the 737 Max 8 model. The crash comes just days ahead of the Paris Air Show, where Boeing is scheduled to present a major exhibit.